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1899. ] MARINE REVIEW. 15 will be necessary. To his mind the principle of the Mallory davit patented in 1871 and 1873, has much to recommend it; it is simple and vastly superior to the common form. It is inexpensive, not bulky, has no need of guys. The boat, though kept inboard, is always outside the davits and gravity alone will carry the boat outward, ready for lowering when the ship is on an even keel or only moderately listed, and when more ex- tremely listed any force used to overcome this is more easily and much more effectively applied. Any reference to the class of davits which fall outward from the sides of a vessel would be very incomplete which should omit to notice the ingenious and well-worked-out device of Sir Bradford Leslie of Falmouth, England. Sir Bradford is a retired engineer of much experience in the East Indies. His life was placed in jeopardy by ship- wreck some years ago, and he has shown that he possesses the requisite technical skill to deal with the detail of his invention in a very thorough manner. For acquaintance with it reference may be made to the United States patent, May 4, 1897, number 582,069, from which the accompanying sketch is reproduced. The chief novelties of this method are that there are no boat falls, no lowering or hoisting tackles attached to the boats-- these are supported from below on cradles situated on the heads of the davits. The davits themselves are lowered vertically in slides down the outside of the ship through a space of a few feet; having passed downward through this space, the heads of both davits, with the boats resting upon trem, fall evenly outward and downward, until the boat is deposited on the water at an oar's length or more away from the ship, the davits being allowed to sink a sufficient distance free of the boat. The lowering appa- ratus consists of a wire rope wound round a drum on the ship's deck, and fitted with a.suitable brake. A full description of this contrivance would occupy. more time and space than is available. In regard to the invention it: will be conceded that it possesses great originality and thoroughness-- that it attains to many desirable ends. If it is thought to be too elab- orate or too costly to meet with practical acceptance, it will still be deemed a sufficient reason for a reference to it in this paper that its methods are novel and calculated to afford a variety of useful suggestion. "Tt appears doubtful," Mr. Hyslop continued, "if any simple and re- liable means can be devised for getting boats ready to lower where the davits have to be rotated, and where the boats have to be moved from a position inside the davits to one outside of them, and this operation, so easy when the deck 'is level and still, becomes one of extreme difficulty when the vessel is rolling, or when she is inclined; ordinarily the work involves time and effort which ought to be eliminated. The use of a cog-. Wovsk ToP Wheel secured to the vertical part of the davit, say immediately over the rail of the vessel, the cogs of which wheel engage with a worm attached to a shaft running horizontally across the rail of the vessel, the said shaft being turned by a handle situated on the periphery of a wheel placed on the inner end of the shaft, seems calculated to give a control over the whole range of the davit's movement not to be had in the ordinary way. A vessel on which I recently crossed the Atlantic had two of her boats fitted with davits operated in this way, and it seems strange that so simple a device is not in more common use. _ "The patent of James: W. McKinnon, March 16, 1897, No. 579,119, has this appliance as one of its features, and has otherwise many ingenious contrivances for raising the boat clear of the chocks, and for the even and steady lowering of it, either from the deck of the vessel or from the boat itself; but I regret that I am not sufficiently familiar with the details of it to attempt a description, and copies of the patent papers do not, as I understand, show the latest development of the invention. In discussing this subject, I have hitherto occupied myself chiefly with the means for operating the davits themselves, and there is with me no doubt that here, more than anywhere else, is there a confessed need of improvement. it have spoken with many ships' officers, but have yet to meet with one who will say that, with the ordinary appliances, a ship's boat could readily be launched under conditions of practical difficulty such as have been alluded to. But, while the kind of davits and the mode of operating them is of first importance, every detail and process of launching ships' boats is im- portant and deserving of more attention than it appears to be receiving. Differences in equipment of vessels, often in regard to simple details which scarcely involve the matter of expense, and which do materially affect efficiency in working, suggest as explanation either a want of in- terest or a need of information, or even, more probably, the need of an institution or of a body of men who, duly qualified, could more than any individual be confidently relied upon to acquaint themselves with these somewhat technical matters, to digest the information received, and to make such statements or recommendations as should appear to be called for in the interests of humanity. With a large measure of authority would come, from such a body, a pronouncement in regard to any davit device observed; also in relation to the respective merits of iron and wooden boats; to the advantages of cork fenders carried in the form of bolsters around a boat and below the gunwale. Chocks and releasing tackle would receive attention, gripes and davit guys would also be commented on, and probably for the guys, if these must continue to be used at all, tackles in- stead of lanyards would be recommended. lite differing situation of boats about vessels' decks is deserving of consideration,--some on chocks near to the deck level and needing to be hoisted several feet to pass over a rail; some kept at rail height and too high for passengers to get into them; some overhead and inaccessible until lowered outside the rail; and some, like the boats of the Kaiser Wil- helm der Grosse, placed upon, and close to, the upper deck, having no rail either inside or outside of them, themselves constituting a bulwark, and ready to be launched with all the facility attainable where the ordinary davit is inuse. Where the simplification of every process means so much, attention may here be called to the double use of the cork bolster put round the life-boats of the vessel mentioned; this is not only a protection to the boat in case of collision with the vessel or otherwise, but it affords an admirable means for securing, and for instantly detaching, the canvas cover, which ordinarily is fastened over the boat when it is upon the deck. This cover extends over the sides and down beyond the bolster, and has a loose lacing of small rope rove through grommets upon the edges, a line passing through the lacing along each side the boat is tightened up and the ends toggled together at stem and stern, the effect being to gather the edges of the cover inward under the bolster, and to secure it, and again to instantly release and free it, when this is desired, by slipping the toggle. The cover in this way is removed intact in very much less time than it could be cut adrift by a sharp knife. Of the various means in use of throwing down the chocks on which the boat rests, or at least of removing the outer ones so that it can be launched, those on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse seem adequate and nothing could be more simple. Any pres- sure from wind or from a sea shipped would be from the weather side, and would bear inward. On the inner side the boat is supported by the two chocks in the customary manner, and is held in firm contact with it by the gripes. It is held from moving outward by an iron rod, carried from in- board outward and horizontally through eye bolts on the face of the lower part--the stationary part--of the chock; this rod is turned up at a right angle, for a few inches at the outer end, in such a way as when operated from the deck at the inner end, where a lever handle is situated, the outer end is turned up outside the keel and the boat's movement is prevented. "The matter of releasing gear is too important to wholly omit mention of in a consideration of this subject; there can, I think, be little doubt that in rough water, with ship and boat in active movement, the handling of boat falls and hooks is attended with both difficulty and danger, even in daylight--it is of course even worse in darkness--whether this be done for the purpose of letting go or of hooking on. It is important that the two ends of the boat be lowered evenly, and that the falls be so rove through the blocks that if one end be let go, the other, either by getting foul or being held onto, may not prevent both ends of the boat descending to the water and becoming water-borne. There are many devices for detaching the lower hooks, not all, perhaps, equally free from the risk of fouling, or sure of smooth and reliable working. It might be invidious to select one for preference, unless indeed from a more intimate acquaintance with the history of its working than I can claim; the United States government and many merchant vessels have, however, I understand, made considerable use of one of these which appears to me to be a good contrivance, and is well deserving of attention. I will only say, in conclusion, that whatever appliances are used should be kept in good working order. If wooden boats are used these should not be dried out and leaky, so that they can- not be kept afloat, as has too frequently happened; boat falls should be of good pliable rope that will run easily and freely through the blocks, with- out choking and without kinking; and for the rest, if the present means for launching boats in times of difficulty and disaster are not improved upon, and if it should ever again be my misfortune to have a ship go down under me, I hope the temperature and distance may admit of my swimming ashore, as otherwise I would rather put my trust in a spar, hatch, or plank, or in anything that might float than in the likelihood of getting boats properly afloat in any short period of time. I trust that I may here be permitted to suggest that the appointment of committee from the members of this association to thoroughly investigate and consider this subject would give promise of results, such as would be eminently beneficient, worthy of the effort made, and of the society, and not so well attainable by any other means in sight." DISCUSSION OF MR. HYSLOP'S PAPER. Discussion of Mr. Hyslop's paper was opened by Capt. W. G. Randle, late commander of the American liner St. Paul, who advocated the adoption of double-ended boats, which could be launched on either side of a ship. He was followed by Mr. Hyslop who made a few remarks supplementary to those contained in his paper. Mr. Hyslop called atten- tion, first of all, to the danger from icebergs and derelicts, and stated that all the precautions possible could not prevent ocean disasters, which were not confined to any one line. He urged that a committe of the associa-